With social distancing only way to avoid the spread of coronavirus and doctors at high risk, a group of scientists at MITs Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory have developed a wireless device to monitor the patients from a safe distance.
The device is reported to monitor a patient’s breathing, movement and even sleep patterns using wireless signals. The devise uses Artificial Intelligence to monitor people with coronavirus symptoms. The devise emits wireless signals, which then gets reflected from the body. The Algorithms then analyze the changes in signals to determine a person’s breathing rate, movement and sleep patterns.
MIT professor Dina Katabi and her research team developed the devise named Emerald. They had first devised the system to monitor chronic diseases. But with coronavirus outbreak, they decided to test it with such patients. The device is now installed at the Heritage Assisted Living center in Framingham, a Boston suburb. The devise is installed in the room of a COVID-19 patient. The data that the device sent is monitored by the doctor who sits in some other place.
Emerald can reduce the risk of health workers getting in contact with the virus. Doctors and nurses are highly exposed to the virus and they are in need of extra protection. The devise can also help in monitoring people or patients at age old homes, or retirement homes. The health workers can passively collect all the details of a patient sitting at a remote place.
